Today is the last day to sign up for Jackie's (Smoothpebble) Tiny House Swap. All details can be found here. So what are you waiting for? Join in on the fun.

I'm mostly excited about Jackie's enthusiam for this swap, she's even running to the hardware store and cutting little chunks of wood into houses. She's pumped! And her fever is catching. I'm seeing adorable tiny houses everywhere now and had to share a few of my favorites above. (I also put together a little mosaic of tiny houses here and here). And if these links weren't inspiration enough, Jackie has an enviable collection of tiny houses on her Pinterest board, Shelter.

I was thrilled to learn that after I first posted about this swap, Chelle from Necessary Chocolate decided to join. I have known Chelle since the very beginning of starting my blog. We even met swapping...on Club Little House. You just have (HAVE) to click here and see the sweetest and most delicate treasures she sent me way-back-when. It's hard to believe that was even before Julen, but I remember the true surprise when this treasure showed up in my mailbox.

Yesterday was our fifth day home from school because of freezing temperatures. Will January be done already?

Home bound (again)I decided it was time to try something new. My friend bought this wooden spindle for the preschool a few years ago. It was time I figured out how to use it. There are tons of tutorials on youtube with great instructions, but the spindles all had a hook on the end. This one has a notch! I ended up tying the yarn into the notch to keep it in place. Tying and untying was a pain, but after a while I fell into a rhythm and figured it out.

As you can see by the uneven texture of my yarn, I have a lot of practice if I want to get it right. It was fun to give it a whirl though.

Lots of lovely images at flickr to keep me inspired today. Click on links above to see more from each of the artists.

We're home bound yet again today. Schools have closed in Minnesota today due to extremely cold temperatures (-20, windchills make it feel like -38). Between illness and freezing temperatures and holidays, my boys have only been in school six days this year. Ugh. Trying to remain otimistic, but we are truly climbing the walls. At least we can look forward to Papa's return home today after a week of missing him. If I really work at it, maybe I can turn today around and do something truly awesome.

For Alice. A sweet kitty in a pink woven pouch. A pearl button closure seemed the perfect complement to the softness of the wool. Kitties are a favorite of so many of the girls at the preschool this year, I'm sure this won't be the last month we'll be gifting them.

Another kitty, this one for Hattie ("kitty power" all the girls scream wearing capes and meowing ferociously). I crocheted her a pouch for carrying her new pet, using a scalloped edge I taught myself recently. She did not want to take it off at all that day.

And finally, for Aidric, whose favorite animal is a Tyrannosaurus. I crocheted the pouch using the lovely self striping rainbow yarn I can't seem to get enough of.

Rumors are that it may be too cold to go back to school (yet again) on Monday. Fingers crossed that it will heat up just enough, we are all missing too many days!

Well...not reading exactly, but I am trying to find my way back to books. Once upon a time I used to be a very avid reader...but, well, you know. There was no space for reading for pleasure while I was immersed in early childhood education books, opening my preschool, raising children. I've missed it. And now I think I've found an answer to having the time. I'm kind of a technology dinosaur but knew if I could use audio books on my daily walks around the lake, I would be able to squeeze in exercise AND reading. Happily I discovered my public library allows me to download an audiobook to my smartphone. They don't call them smart for nothing. Now, twice the motivation to get out walking.

Isabel Allende has long been a favorite of mine and she doesn't disappoint with Maya's Notebook. I could listen to Maria Cabezas sweet voice in my ears forever.

On another note...my nine-year-old came home from school with The Hunger Games in his backpack. The Hunger Games? All I had heard was that it is meant for older children...the content too mature for nine. With all the controversy surrounding the book, I'm surprised he was allowed to check it out of his school library at all.

I took advantage of another unexpected day home from school today (due to freezing temperatures) to read it. It is a good read. I cried a little, which worried my son "Is it that bad, Mom?". It's just so so sad, I told him. And it is. I think he better wait a few years. Any thoughts?

While we were all confined to our pyjamas over the weekend, we struggled to find something that would keep us entertained but wasn't overly challenging for our tired, feverish bodies. Puzzles were the answer. Thankfully I had a fresh stack I had picked up from the thrift store not long ago. I think we put together about twelve in all. Thrift store puzzles are always a risk...you never know if all the pieces will be there until you actually put it together. We were quite fortunate to not have one missing piece.

The top one, the bird collage, is from a piece of artwork by Lori Siebert. Curious about her, I did a quick google search only to find she is quite a prolific artist and can be found all over the internet.

The bottom puzzle is from a painting by Richard Estes. This was a fun find as Estes was an artist I became very familiar with when I was in my late teens. When I worked and lived in Maine in my college years, he lived in a house down the street from me...for all I know he still lives there. Anyway, as a photo realist painter, I was as fascinated by his work as I was by that of Chuck Close.

We all made it back to school today and the puzzles are once again safely tucked into their boxes.

Remember swaps? I miss them. The creating for another person. Connecting through making. I have been wanting to find a way back to this trading of handmade and lo and behold, Jackie has announced a Tiny House Swap. Perfect. I can't wait to start. I put together another little mosaic for inspiration. (Also, see last years little boxes for more ideas). Hurry! Signs up end January 31st. More information here.

Time for healthier days. My boys were struck down this week with nasty fevers. It's as if the polar vortex just froze up their immunities and left them vulnerable. Fourteen kids absent from my fourth graders classroom, last I heard anyway. I wonder how his teacher likes having only eight in her room.

Nothing to do but wait it out, under piles of blankets or with a life long friend at your side.

I always think of these as the worst days of parenting. That feeling of helplessness. The worry. The wait. That frantic feeling that I can never do enough.

We play tag-team, Papa and I. He goes late to work, holds tight to the boys as long as he can until I can race home from the preschool to take my turn, leaving my teaching partner to end the day solo.

I remember, as a child, four or five years old. In my feverish state I heard my mother whisper to my father outside my bedroom door that I was "on fire". Such panic. I was sure my bed was engulfed in flames, yet the fever wouldn't allow me to open my eyes or even move a muscle. I have never forgotten that fear. So I'm careful when I talk about how hot their little bodies are, yet "on fire" seems appropriate to how much heat they are radiating.

While the worst of it seems to be over, they still have healing to do. The best thing I can do is crawl into bed with them, sing to them, let them know I am there. I busy my hands with a project and keep a watchful eye.

Jack Frost is here to stay! Like a good portion of the US we have been hunkered down all day waiting for this cold snap to pass. Schools will be closed again tomorrow but it looks like we're in for a warm up after that (if you call -5 a warm up). It was so cold last night that this morning when I went to make Julen's bed, I discovered a pillow and his koala bear were both stuck to the wall...with ice!! It's a bit drafty by his bed which is next to a window so I've been lining the side with a bunch of pillows for a more comfortable rest. I guess it was just.that.cold last night and with the combination of the moisture in the air (because I run a humidifier in the boys room all winter) and the cold, a nice layer of ice formed on the wall. I'll save you all the photo of half of poor Koalies fur embedded in the wall...ugh!

The Christmas tree came down today and while I was packing up the ornaments I was reminded by the sweet gifts I received from families of my preschool. How adorable is this handmade birch-bark trunk tree ornament? The delicious teas wrapped so beautifully with an anise star seed. So many handmade cards and baked treats (long gone now). And the adorable terrarium, with it's tiny pink mushroom. The kindness of these sweet gifts from the heart always overwhelm me. So much thoughtfulness. And always appreciated are the gift cards to local coffee shops...the parents must know I really love coffee!

As it is our tradition, the boys gave their teachers beeswax candles that we made. They looked so pretty tied up with a bit of wool, some raffia and a bead. They also gifted their snowflakes and I made them each a cowl.

For all of you in a deep freeze...stay warm!!! Wishes to all for a great week!! xx